UIW Life Skills Newsletter Volume 2, Issue 2: Spring Semester 2017 UIW student-athletes succeed in the classroom, on campus, and in the community: Student– Athletes Amass 5,755 Community Service Hours UIW’s 23 intercollegiate athletic teams have spread across San Antonio to help and impact 99 different organizations. Student-athletes this aca- demic year participated in 259 more hours than last year’s contribution of 5,496 hours. To name a few activities: the Women’s Soccer team helped at San Antonio Pets Alive, Guada- lupe Community Center Weekend child care pro- gram, and the San Antonio Food Bank Garden. Men’s Soccer at Guadalupe Communi- The Men’s soccer team helped the Guadalupe ty Center Community Center with gardening and painting. Volleyball and Women’s Tennis participated in Al- ternative Spring Break. Some members of the Football team helped at a USA Football camp, spoke at a pep rally at Big Country Elementary, worked Alamo Heights Night, and volunteered at the Any Baby Can Walk for Autism. Both swim teams helped at an SAISD field day as well as food stocking at the Guadalupe Community Cen- ter. Track ended the semester with a service learning project at Wheatley Middle School. A huge thank you to all the work that has been put in this year! Women’s Soccer at San Antonio Pets Alive Southland Strong Community Service Award UIW placed second in this year’s Southland Strong Community Service award accumulating 4,167.50 hours of service completed by our 17 Southland Sports behind Southeastern Louisi- ana. UIW placed third in last year’s competition with 3,300 hours. The Southland Strong Community Service Award is given to the member institution who is most active in the community through student-athletes’ individual service hours, institu- tion’s organized community service events and participation in Southland league-wide ac- tivities including: Delete Blood Cancer Donor Drive, Pull Tab Collection for Ronald McDon- ald House Charities, the Southland Gives Back Project, and an activity of the institution’s choice. This year UIW chose to create the initiative Cardinal Crates. All 23 teams collec- tively raised school supply donations to give to Cotton Elementary back in November 2016. Women’s Basketball Team Wins SAAC Community Service Award The Women’s Basketball team received the UIW SAAC Community Service Award at the end of the year banquet on April 30th. The award was presented to the 13 members and coaching staff for completing 421 hours of service in the academic year. This semester alone, the team partici- pated at the MLK March with St. Luke’s Episcopal school, visited Miller Elementary school, helped clean up Headwaters, volunteered at the Delete Blood Cancer Donor Drive, and attended the on campus Day of Hope. Together they attended 13 team community service events in the 2016-2017 academic year. The Softball team came in second for the award, completing 494 hours on their team of 25. Syn- chronized swimming, last year’s winner, came in third place with 410 hours on their team of 22. What is important to you about the community What is important to you about the community ser- service you have completed this year? vice you have completed this year? “As student-athletes we are put on a platform and “The community service that I completed this year was ex- viewed as superstars, heroes, and role models to tremely important to me because it has been a goal of mine our community. I go to Cambridge Elementary each to get more involved in order to grow as a person within my week to hang out with my mentee and when we community and be the best student-athlete I can be at UIW, walk through the cafeteria during 5th grade lunch showcasing what this university stands for. Taking the time ALL eyes are on me. Those kids think that I’m the out of my day to help out great organizations allowed me to coolest person in the world and they want to be just see the great work that these organizations do throughout like me when they grow up. I think it is my responsi- the year. The reason that I do community service and the bility as a student-athlete to live my life in a way that reason it is important to me is because the more free time I influences these kids in a positive way. I would say have, the more I want to use that time to help others and the most important things are: Making a difference be the change that I want to see in the world.” in people’s lives, showing them Christ-like love, and helping them find hope in this chaotic world. As ath- How has being involved in your community helped letes, we can change the world and change the cul- you grow as a person and as a student-athlete? ture. As a Christian, my goal is to show Jesus to others and I think the best way to do that is through servant leadership.” “I have really enjoyed being involved in my community be- “For even the Son of Man did not come to be cause it has opened my eyes to many amazing people. served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ran- Working alongside my teammates, friends, peers, coaches, som for many.” -Mark 10:45 faculty, and my community has allowed me to grow in my relationships with them and seeing how they operate under How has being involved in your community team oriented operations is always something that I have helped you grow as a person and as a student enjoyed learning from. This type of interaction is a great -athlete? way to appreciate the way different people operate and be- come more knowledgeable about how to become a better worker, leader, friend, and citizen. As student-athletes at a “Community service has helped me understand NCAA Division I institution, we have been blessed with a privilege. I think it is very easy to take the “small gift from God to perform well in our respective sports and things” in life for granted. As I am lying in bed and because of this gift, we receive a lot of financial benefits thinking about how awful my workout in the morning that other students don’t and, even more importantly, that is going to be or how hard my test was earlier that other people in our community don’t who lack the ability to day. There are kids going to sleep without a bed, even pursue a college degree. For this matter, as a student without a home, hungry, and even afraid. During the -athlete I feel almost obligated to try to help those that last off-season, I lived by this phrase, “do it for those aren’t as lucky or blessed as I have been throughout my who can’t” and my time serving this year helped me life. I have learned and made it clear to myself that alt- hough we have to perform and focus on our studies, there develop this phrase. I always went into community are much more important things than just swimming well or service with the mindset that I was going to change receiving high grades. Appreciating my blessings and a person’s life, but those people changed my life.“ spreading my friendliness and love can go much further than any great swim that I put down or any high grade that I receive.” More than Athletes Student-athletes totaled 841.50 hours of professional development this aca- demic year, an increase from last year’s 655 hours. There were 34 career and personal development sessions offered this year including: Athlete Ally In March, Taylor Hudson (founder and exec- utive director of the Athlete Ally organiza- tion) visited UIW to provide tools and re- sources to student-athletes, coaches, and administrators to foster an inclusive sports community. Mr. Hudson brought the mes- sage of respect, inclusion, and equality to campus. “The word ‘ally’ has historically ap- plied to straight allies. But, it’s not just about who you are or who you like, it’s about what you stand for” (athleteally.org). Being an ally means honoring the unique experience of everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gen- der, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, Next Season Workshop etc. Former NFL player, Jonathan Orr, vis- ited campus to facilitate his Next Sea- son Workshop to UIW student- athletes. The workshop identified common challenges associated with change and transition after collegiate sports, and helped the student- athletes develop a game plan for their next season of life. UIWTV spokes- person and Women’s swimming ath- lete, Kelsey Johnson, did a special story on Mr. Orr’s visit: https:// m.youtube.com/watch? v=XHThY04J3tE 49% of the student-athlete population participated in Sexual Assault Education in the month of April. The pro- grams were created to introduce sexual assault educa- tion to UIW student-athletes. Student-athletes were given overviews of sexual as- sault laws, statistics, and prevention methods. They were also given the opportunity to explore healthy relation- ships and healthy communication methods and evaluate different relationship situations. There was a session on bystander intervention that was developed to strengthen a person’s ability to speak up, and teach ways in which to safely intervene in certain situations. The month ended with a discussion about power, oppression, and violence based on gender, race, and sexual orientation. The month of April brought an awareness to a topic that is extremely important on college campuses.